The Best Place Is Only The Coast...

I need this, alright? I need to get outta the funk of a prick of a day. Coolrunnings started the trend, now the new Best Coast will get me over the line. Guilty pleasures are often the best. So...there.

Best Coast - The Only Place

Hunting Feathers

Those Brisbane ladies in love with the reverb pedal, Feathers, have a new album out in a couple weeks. Hunter's Moon - that title alone should be a fair indicator of what to expect, and why they have supported the likes of Best Coast, Vivian Girls and Dead Meadow in the past. Recorded in a few hours (!) in an empty hundred-year-old movie cinema, Hunter’s Moon is the band’s first release in their current line-up, marking a transitional period in the band’s history. The LP presents a collection of songs spanning from upbeat surf inspired pop love songs (like opener 'Darklands'), to hazy, reverb obscured ballads about lost dreams and tales of phantoms (the closer 'Wild Horse Mountain' is the perfect example of that). The Rolling Stones' 'Play With Fire' also makes an appearance. Its a lovely languid release, and just another reason to take not of what's happening in this under appreciated Australian city.

Hunter's Moon is out October 7 through Bon Voyage Records, and is limited to 100 pressings - tiny! So get here and get in quick!

Feathers - Darklands
Feathers - Wild Horse Mountain

Interview - Amanda Brown (Not Not Fun Records/LA Vampires)

LA Vampires is the name of the solo venture by Amanda Brown, formerly one half of Pocahaunted along with Bethany Cosentino, who left to concentrate on her own project, Best Coast. With LAV Brown has moved beyond the dark drones and goth-tinged psych-rock of her former base duo towards a more "pop" sound - yet you can take the girl out of Pocahaunted... Brown is also responsible for stellar label Not Not Fun, that she runs with husband Britt Brown (AKA Robedoor). She is currently in Australia, and I spoke with her recently about...well, everything.

SONIC MASALA - Before talking about your current band, I wanted to talk about Not Not Fun. How have you ensured that the label has been able to grow into such a venerable label without losing any of the initial aesthetics that set it apart from its contemporaries when you started it?

AMANDA BROWN (LA VAMPIRES) - That's just the constant struggle. Honestly, Britt and I never claimed the label had a genre-bend, or that it would stay the same, cater to the same audience over the years. We've only ever promised it would remain true to our personal aesthetics, and that means the label goes through the same changes that we do as humans. Finding yrself out of love with long-form drone isn't such a bad thing, if the next musical love goes as deep and feels as intense. It's been quite a turn off for some people, but for us there's no other way to do it. And obviously for the fans who respect that we cut a line straight through trendiness, that we don't get whipped around by what's in favor, that we just release the music we connect with - they're elated that we move and grow and try and strive.

SM - There have been some amazing artists on the label , many of which have emblazoned our blog – Daughters Of The Sun, Ensemble Economique, The Deeep, Robedoor, Zola Jesus – this barely scratches the surface! What do you think attracts them to you?

BROWN - I'd like to think it's our straight-forwardness and our sweat. If you send us a master and we love it, the process begins immediately. We don't sit on great records and wait for the "perfect" time to release them. I think bands love that, they love to move fast and to have their music available to hear and buy. We're also huge fans of the musicians on ourlabel: exploring with them, believing in them, supporting them (often times monetarily, sometimes just by setting up shows or hook-ups with other bands/tours/venues). Britt and I want their records to sell better than our own. I don't think you can find that kind of intensity and dedication in many vanity/underground labels. I wanted Maria (Minerva) on this Aus tour with me, so that I could see HER play!

SM - How do you find running the label?

BROWN - (laughing) It's not easy, man!

SM - Is the cassette form actually a good musical medium, or just a fad?

BROWN - The internet's a fad. Digital music is a fad. The cassette is warm and homey and compact and tangible and aesthetically quite pleasing to touch and listen to. I feel sorry for CDs sometimes, they never stood a chance.

SM - Id be remiss of not mentioning Pocahaunted, the ace band you originally started with Bethany Cosentino (Best Coast) and had Cameron Stallones of Sun Araw and of course your husband (Robedoor) involved. Firstly, these are all disparate directions – how do you think these musical outlets have been influenced by the Pocahaunted days? And is Pocahaunted reached its definitive end point?

BROWN - Pocahaunted is absolutely over. I mean, you said it yrself, everyone wanted to make different music, everyone was evolving into different directions - with side projects, solo projects, or even just hazy dreams of a distinctly different musical future. Bethany wanted to do her spin on 60s pop, Cameron wah-wah psych, Britt Skinny Puppy dark-keyboard stuff.I wanted to do this. I'd like to think we all took something bizarre and cool and transcendent from Pocahaunted, but maybe not. Sadly, with ever-morphing bands, changing their sound and their roster, most members fantasize about a liberating moment when they can "do their own thing." Wait, I don't know if that's sad, that's just the way it is. I definitely wanted more from my music journey by the end.

SM - What about the industry in general – are there labels you feel a kinship towards? Labels that aren’t doing the right thing by its roster?

BROWN - The industry is nuts. I'm lucky I almost never have to think about what the rest of the musical landscape looks like - I don't have to judge it or feel oppressed by it. As a teenager I dutifully loved K, Kill Rock Stars, Matador, and Thrill Jockey. What ghetto-ized their vibe was the time they really shined in. When it's not the 90s anymore, it's hard to stop being so... 90s. Not every label can be hit after hit, just like we can't ...but I do like random output from DFA, Future Times, R & S, Hyperdub, Kosmisk Vag, Brunch Groupe, Stones Throw. Night People is run by Shawn Reed, and I love his art/aesthetic. When Jeremy Earl did Fuckit Tapes, I thought the awesomeness would never stop.

SM - Labels like Shawn Reed’s Nothing People and also Sacred Bones are infiltrating Australia, as is your own label, but there has been a concerning trend of independent record stores closing down over here. What’s the alternative, especially for a far-flung nation like Australia?

BROWN - You have to fight to keep your record stores open! There is no alternative!You guys are SOOO far away from America, and who cares - I mean, it's not like America is the center of the world - but if your interested in hearing what's going on in this country, you have to make sure to promote and support little stores trying to stock our stuff. Don't go immediately to the internet and download. I suppose it also doesn't hurt to throw a lot of money and a few plane tickets at artists to get them to your beautiful country...

SM - We'll try, haha! OK, LA Vampires – I hate to say it (well actually I don't haha!), but…”witch house” or something else?

BROWN - Witch House is a punchline. It's pretty funny, but besides Salem, I don't think there's an artist or a group who would ever claim it. I'm not that witchy. I'm certainly not goth.. You do one record with Zola Jesus... (laughs)

SM - How have your experiences both personally and musically influenced LA Vampires?

BROWN - That's so broad! I mean we're one in the same! LA VAMPIRES is me, it's all my musical and personal experience in a performance/sonic art. Definitely after years of running a label, playing in bands, touring, being elevated by other musicians/label owners/venue owners/bookers/etc, I've become this new thing entirely. Now I follow my own inspiration. If I want to do dub, I do it. If I want to do Skrewed, or Baggy, or Hyphy or anything, I just do it. It's about not having the fear, not having to answer to other bandmates, not worrying about yr old fans or new fans or future fans. Just trying to be soulful, honest, and constantly inspired. When I start to feel bitter or crushed by shows or tours or releases or anything else, I remember to be human. I eat a good meal, I watch a brilliant movie, I sleep, or read Martin Amis, and then I come back refreshed and ready for VAMPIRES.

SM - What can be said about the recording process opposed to the LA Vampires live show experience? Ive found that acts like yours that I saw in London last year were various shades of shit (not slagging you at all, I think I just had a rough run haha!)

BROWN - I have no doubt that you've seen some shit shows. In fact, right before I said yes to this tour I was chewing my nails bloody trying to imagine what the set would look and sound like. My friend Aurora from Innergaze was like, "Yr not gonna just do karaoke-style are you? That sucks!" And she's right. Aren't we all getting sick of just seeing laptops? Or just watching someone press play on an iPod? What a dark time for live music if that's all we have to look forward to! So for this live set, I've put together great beats/tracks and have Nick playing live keys, Britt doing live mixing, and myself on vocals. I dance, I emote, and hopefully the audience will too.

SM - Frankly! is a festival that is very boutique in nature, and is indicative of the change in music-going trends here. Yet these types of shows are commonplace in the US and Europe. What do you think a festival like Frankly! brings to a place like Australia?

BROWN - I wish I knew more about Australian culture so I could answer that properly. To be honest, you all seem very cool to me - like you have your eyes and ears to the serious cultural ground. I love Australian fashion, and I love Australian actors (Cate Blanchett is a goddess!) and so I assume your art and music scene must also be thriving. From just knowing Blank Realm, Angel Eyes, Canyons, and Rites Wild I can tell something incredibly vivid is already happening right on your Aussie doorstep. But festivals are wonderful ways to get the world together on one vibe, and it's bringing me to you, so I'm endlessly thankful for that.

SM - What bands are you into at the moment? Any that particularly should be followed fanatically by Sonic Masala/NNF acolytes?

BROWN - I love so much of what's on 100% SILK (of course):SFV ACIDOCTO, OCTAMAGIC, TOUCH, INNERGAZE, PHARAOHS, STRATEGY and Miracles Club, Maria Minerva, Rangers, Zola Jesus, Sapphire Slows, Mi Ami...I saw you're a big fan, Daniel's great...and then there's the old stuff I always listen to: Sylvester, Bjork, Deee-Lite, Digital Underground.

SM - Have you ever been to Australia before/are there any parts of the country you're excited to be visiting?

BROWN - I've never been! I'm crazy excited, I can't wait! I hear amazing things about Melbourne and Sydney, but Nick keeps telling me about the coral reef in Cairns. He wants us to go on a glass bottom boat and check out the sea-life. Not really my bag, but how can I resist?

SM - Finally – what is sonic masala?

BROWN - It's putting silk in your ears.

LA Vampires plays the Frankly! It's A Pop Festival at Brisbane's Powerhouse tomorrow, alongside Wet Hair, The Twerps, Blank Realm, Angel Eyes and loads more. Get tix here.

Gig - The Clean/The Deadnotes+ The Legend/Blank Realm, The Zoo, Brisbane 10.03.11

I "discovered" the Clean when my sister dumped a whole load of music on my Ipod back in 2005, courtesy of her then douche boyfriend (not saying she now has a douche boyfriend, just that the guy then was a douch...anyway...). I loved 'Tally Ho' from the get go, and have been wanting to see them ever since. My sister was disappointed by them at Pavement ATP last year, but it doesnt take much for her to be disappointed, so tonight I get to make my own assumptions.

Local indie ambient kraut rockers Blank Realm are first to occupy the stage. This is my first time of catching these guys live, although having been a fan of last year’s Deja What it was highly anticipated – and they don’t entirely disappoint. Whilst clearly chuffed to be supporting The Clean, Blank Realm’s set includes a barnstorming rendition of Full Moon Door, and some crazy frontman dancing to close out the set. The band is heavy on the instrumentation fluctuations between the members, and this may have impeded their performance, but it all comes together in a shambolic yet wild and ambitious way that has the small crowd eager for more – hopefully very soon...

Blank Realm - Crystal Ball

The Deadnotes + The Legend! are up next, and what a lovely warped band they are. Starting off with some noirish throbbing bass and slinky sax, it isn’t long before the Legend quirks it up tenfold, wearing his wide brimmed hat and daggy attire, often chanting like a drunken uncle doing karaoke at a BBQ. Im Not Joking Around evokes Gang of Four’s Jon King in his manic arm movements and vocal delivery, whilst the lyrics are steeped in stream of consciousness repetition, with chanted vocal interplay proving to be sharp and impressive. Don’t Dial Me is avant garde art punk, whilst Hey You Arrogant Bastards sounds like an antipodeans’ Mark E Smith. Its all rather carnivalesque - I Like Dogs, anyone? - but a fucking ace show nonetheless, and the band leaves having set the bar incredibly high.

The Deadnotes + The Legend! - Make A Grand Entrance

The Clean open with epic instrumental At The Bottom, David Kilgour very much on song tonight, before breaking down into a stellar set of classic songs running the gamut of their back catalogue that has everyone riding high on the good time vibes. Name checking the Go Betweens and The Saints as all time influences as they rip through Factory Girl and Do You Wanna Go, the band particularly nailing it on Fish when they go into instrumental mode, proving they have lost none of the soul and bounce that made them the seminal underground act that they clearly still are. Special mention must go to Robert Scott, whose basslines are so fat and juicy that they fall off the bones of these tracks with delectable accuracy. In The Dreamlife U Need A Rubber Soul makes its presence felt, whilst Whatever I Do Its Right sees Kilgour take on the organ and allow his brother Hamish to take lead, to great effect. There’s enough space for the band to play their version of a punk song, before the inimitable classic Tally Ho and effervescent Beatnik see us out the door.

Seeing as this is my "first time", Im not sure whether the 22 year absence from these shores has energised them or not. All I know is, no disappointment here - The Clean are still the shit.

The Clean - Tally Ho

Cleaning Up The Zoo

The shit hot conga line of music flowing through Brisbane's perennial rock venue The Zoo continues tonight with New Zealand's premiere purveyors of indie pop The Clean making their first appearance Down Under in almost 20 years. The Flying Nun founding act are supported tonight by the excellent locals Blank Realm (whose album of last year Deja What is pretty bloody special - I will wax lyrical about it in due course) and The Deadnotes & The Legend. Every act on this bill will be exciting to catch, so make sure you get down there! Tickets are still available too, as there's a plethora of acts vying for people's attention in the City tonight, with hipsters Best Coast occupying Woodland, blues maestro Justin Townes Earle at Step Inn, and...ahem...Alan Jackson.

The Clean - Tally Ho

Oh, and The Clean have just come out of the studio, meaning a new album is on its way! Get excited people!

Watch No Joy - Hawaii

My mate Andy sent me this clip of LA/Montreal ladies No Joy for their song 'Hawaii', which you can find on their stellar Mexican Summer release Ghost Blonde. We always meant to cover that album here - we've been fans of their earlier stuff, and Paul called dibs on this album in fact - but for whatever reason it fell by the wayside. So, watch this great (and slightly NSFW) video, and hunt down that album - it is great, really great. They have a busy touring schedule lined up too - spending the best part of this month touring Stateside and Canada as part of the Best Coast/Wavves entourage, before doing a couple of solo shows in London (including a White Heat @ Madame Jojo's show on March 1st - thats 5 quid! Get your tix now!!!), before becoming the support slot for Surfer Blood as they do the UK. Thats about 4 different shows in London, people. Get on it.

No Joy - Hawaii from Salazar on Vimeo.

Slow Animal Shoot Fun In The Sun

I spoke about Slow Animal back in October, offering you their free (still!) demo and the stellar track off it, 'Dolt Heart' (check it out here). Well a short while back the New Jersey duo dropped their debut release, theFUNsun 7'', on Jaxart Records.

'theFUNsun' was a track on the said demo, and here it is in a more frivolous, resplendent cone of fuzzy craziness. It actually reminds me of Best Coast if led by a boy more interested in demolition derbies than cats. It is a catchy number, despite the inanity of it all, and that's why I love it! The echoed dual howling of reverbed vocals evokes a more esoteric garage outfit, which showcases the type of sound Slow Animal may encapsulate on future releases. B-side 'Saturday Mourning' is just as good - a slightly darker take on the swinging garage sound, like a Raveonettes cover band taking on the current surf rock trend, yet failing to slow down their time signatures or bring enough sunshine - black jeans dont work on the beach, cuz! Its a great 7" this one, and the coolest thing is that, as they say in 'Saturday Mourning', they dont want to change the world. They probably never will. But they will shake the foundations all the same.

And this is the first South By South West reference we have of the year, as Slow Animal will be in Austin Texas tearing things up on March 15. Dont worry - they'll more than hold their own.

theFUNsun is out now.

Slow Animal - theFUNsun
Slow Animal - Saturday Mourning

Sex My Beet Up (Sort of Exclusive!)

Sex Beet is a London-via-Leicester three piece that have been making waves for a little while now (Ive been on them since their great track 'I'm In Love With You (So Shut The Fuck Up)'). They offer up the brand of fuzzed out garage rock that Im a massive fan of, and as the year has progressed so has their confidence, and their popularity. They have their beach pop rock leanings (esp with The Shadows echoing their 'She Don't Surf' track), but Sex Beet have sleazed it up tenfold, oozing the kind of lairy nonchalance that three drunk London 20-somethings invariably ooze. They may not have had a major LP out yet, but are about to end 2010 with a bang, snavvling the support slots of both Wavves in November and Best Coast in December. As both of those acts are hipster cred personified, expect Sex Beet's name to catch a corner of the spotlight by year's end.

Oh, and before all that, if you have nothing better to do tonight (or even if you do), head down to the Old Blue Last. Its a free Halloween rockathon, with Sex Beet smashing things up along with Cold Pumas, Prize Pets and Weird Dreams - its almost a Sonic Masala London showcase! And its FREE.

Oh again. The below track is a sparkling newie, so this is a sorta exclusive - Boo!

Sex Beet - Sugar Water

Breaching Adolescence Into A Black Hole

One of the great 'finds' for Sonic Masala this year has been Young Adults. The trio from Massachusetts impressed many with their demo earlier this year - evident from picking up a support slot for Male Bonding and Best Coast at the end of the month - and in November they are priming to release their debut album, Black Hole, in November (through Czech label AMDISCS). An apt title too. A band that immerses itself in caustic walls of bruising guitar and chanting vocals that cross Japandroids and No Age, Young Adults are a band that firmly fit SM's mold of bands we love. What is impressive about Black Hole is how these guys are ready to supersede these two bands in ferocity, veracity and playability. Opening with ethereal 'Reverie' they blister the wall paint with 'Let Us Out' and never let you get a breath for the rest of the album. A very assured debut that highlights a tight insular band whose intensely coiled aggression coalesces into a fine brand of angst ridden rock with enough punk, shoegaze and early 90s DC sound aesthetics to punch their way through to the speakers and sear themselves onto your eardrums. I havent felt so energised by a new album this year since hearing Male Bonding's Nothing Hurts - nuff said.

Drifing by TheKLYAM

And to brush up on Young Adults, check out our previous entry on their demo here.

Album review - Beach Fossils' Beach Fossils

Its getting a little boring. The current trend of summery, shimmery, scuzzy, lo-fi pop meanderings have been dealt with in all ways, shapes and forms over the past 18 months. There are some great purveyors of this sound (my current favourite – Best Coast), but every person and his dog (or at least with Girls in their title) is doing it, and has really got to the point of saturation. Im drowning in this sound guys – give it a rest?

Don’t get me wrong – I find that some bands really nail the aesthetics of this ‘new’ style and create something beautiful. I just don’t see the longevity. Its becoming a pastiche – nay, a cliché – of hipster fey charm and dark sunglasses, summer angst and/or ennui, drifting meanderings…yawn.

But still, there are artists that plumb the depths of this already depleted genre to create something of value. One such artist is Dustin Payseur AKA Beach Fossils, a bedroom wanderer who, through eminent label Captured Tracks (who I have the utmost admiration for, and although they have helped to flood the market with likeminded acts, they ARE supporting music in a completely positive and exciting way, which I really love), has dropped a self-titled debut of sun-kissed assurance. And although these tales of slacker existence may not offer anything new, the cock and bull that pervades a lot of the current trend is amiss here, and Beach Fossils is all the better for it.

Some of these tracks have been floating around for some time before this release (Youth, Sometimes), with its soft sound complemented by an incredibly catchy guitar hook and Payseur’s barely awake vocals awash with reverb. Nothing new there, you might think. The trick is the virtuosity of Payseur’s songwriting and guitarwork – simple structures that set up the sunniest of riffs, evident in almost every track, held aloft like a trophy – as he should, as just one of these tunes would make a lesser band’s centrepiece in an otherwise lacklustre recording session. And Payseur himself, whilst sounding like he’s fallen into a vat of syrup but can’t be arsed finding his way back out again, nevertheless infuses every track with a certain sunny, even likeable effervescence that any angle that may have smacked of hipster chic beforehand has been buffed to a much calmer, smoother reality.

So all in all there isn’t anything overly original on Beach Fossils. What we do have is a Brooklynite who actually knows what he’s doing – he’s the kid who’s building his own rocket whilst the rest of the neighbourhood lark about smashing mailboxes and riding on their daddies’ fat wallets. He may affect that he has nothing to do, but if this is what results from malaise, we need to make it an institution.

Beach Fossils - Youth

Album review - Broken Water's Whet

I know Ive posted about Broken Water before. The Olympia, Washington three piece rose out of the ashes of Sisters to create something that held onto the Sonic Youth noise, but brought to the fore the elegaic, raw and ghostly vocals of drummer Kanako Wynkoop (such a juxtaposition will be explained shortly). They are still a relatively unchampioned band however, which is a massive shame, for if their debut LP Whet is anything to go by, these guys are a force to be reckoned with.

There is no doubt that Whet showcases a sound that is steeped in the late 80's to the early 90s - heavily distorted drudging guitars, echoed vocals, sharp sparks of noise - everyone of that era, from Kim Gordon to J Mascis to Kevin Shields, have had their playbooks scrutinised, with Broken Water using it all to their own nefarious means. Opener 'Say What's On Your Mind' opens with a white noise blaze before settling down into a Dinosaur Jr wail of guitar - even guitarist Jon's voice has the affected tones of J Mascis, which is in fuller effect in 'Memory'. Kanako is the mainstay vocals wise here though, and second track 'Hear' has a slower grind to its pulse, the echoey chamber of the guitar slowing things right down, before amping up in a Raveonettes circa Whip It On scrawl. The vocals evoke Corin Tucker, a bit of grrl riot to go with your grungey squall. Elsewhere on the album, 'Web' has a more lo-fi styling a la Vivian Girls, yet with a sunnier disposition (a la Best Coast?), whilst 'Kamilche House' drawls away hazily, Kanako et al sounding like a disaffected Sub Pop cast off (in a very good way). Therefore experimentation is very much the key here style-wise, yet is all firmly entrenched in pre-Seattle explosion era, and yet somehow sounds both new and vintage. A constant juxtaposition that enhances the album rather than hinders it.

Overall though Whet is refreshing in its use of noise to harken back to the days when it was ceremoniusly linked to harmony. Broken Water have constructed songs that are both abrasive and sensuous, joyous and melancholy - with their eyes nailed to the floor and their hair in their eyes one minute, their instruments in a pile and a maniacal grin on their faces the next. Its nothing new per se - but it is something that is done impeccably well. Whet to be in the running for my top ten list come December - yep, its that good.

Buy it! Vinyl via Night People; Cd via Radio Is Down. The pic above is the vinyl cover sleeve.

Broken Water - Say What's On Your Mind

Goddamned beach lovers unite...

The above heading is not entirely true. Any person who is truly living has some love of the beach. And Im luckier than many - Ive been on Oz's beaches for the past month. But Ive come back to no beaches, the lying fuck that is the English weather, and a glut of perfect summer tracks filling my headspace.

SADS much?

Nah, its all cool. Although I missed out on what would have been a cracker of a gig at White Heat @ Madame Jojo's last night, Im revelling in Best Coast's sunny, fuzzy sonic whirls. Bethany Cosentino is my current heart girl - sorry Cassie Ramone! - and is it any wonder with tracks like this?!? I wish I had heard 'When Im With You' last year when it was released - its certainly my favourite song of the moment (mingled bizarrely with Grails' 'Silk Rd' and Grey Daturas' 'A Japanese Romance' - that makes no sense whatsoever, but so be it...), and the newie 'Far Away' shows she's no one trick pony - I think. I love what she's doing anyway, and is promising to back up these beautiful 7"'s with a debut album later this year.

Cant wait for summer...

Best Coast - Far Away

Best Coast - When Im With You